INSIDE SCOOP
COMMENTARY
ENVIRONMENT
PLAYING SANTA AIN’T SO BAD PAGE 3 WHY CAN’T WE BE MORE LIKE L.A.? PAGE 4 POUCHES OR CANS? PAGE 8
MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2007
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Volume 7 Issue 18
Santa Monica Daily Press A NEW KIND OF CIRCUS SEE PAGE 6
Since 2001: A news odyssey
THE FIRE UP THE HEATER ISSUE
Malibu ranks with the elite School is named one of top 100 high schools in the U.S. BY MELODY HANATANI I Daily Press Staff Writer SMMUSD HDQTRS Long touted for producing some of the best and brightest students, the Santa MonicaMalibu Unified School District received another pat on the back recently when one of its high schools was recognized as being among the best secondary schools in the country.
Along with sandy beaches and a scenic coastline, the city of Malibu can call itself home to the 98th best high school in the country after U.S. News & World Report, known for its annual publication of college rankings, named Malibu High School as among the top 100 high schools in the country in its inaugural rankings. In compiling the rankings, U.S. News & World Report used a formula they developed with School Evaluation Services — a K-12 research firm run by Standard & Poor’s — and evaluated the public schools in three categories: How well the students performed in state-mandated tests; how well the school’s disadvantaged students performed; and how the schools prepared their students
for college. The result earned Malibu High School, which is a middle school and high school, a gold medal — an honor bestowed to the top 100 high schools. “It’s really exciting to have this acknowledgment,” said Malibu Principal Mark Kelly on Friday. “It’s recognition of work everyone is doing here at Malibu and how hard everyone is working.” The school was found to exceed the standard in all three categories, earning high marks for state testing, closing the achievement gap between the most and least SEE MALIBU PAGE 12
SPORTS
THE BEST IS YET TO COME Samohi hoops looks to rebound after a slow start STORY BY MELODY HANATANI PAGE 10
Morgan Genser news@smdp.com
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